Ajax didn't really know anything but wide open spaces, the vastness of the ocean as it brushed against the shoreline. Just a taste of what he truly wanted, what felt like it would forever be out of reach. All that being said, the really really tall trees were pretty cool too! So vast and reaching he concluded that they had to touch the sky, that climbing them was a good idea so he could take a bite out of the sun. See if it tasted as bright as it looked. Except kitty claws or not, gaining a foothold was near impossible. The bark was old and ancient, too stubborn to let him get a proper grip and the few times he managed he ended up ripping the bark away from the trunk. And promptly fell onto his bum. Needless to say, his ducky companions were swift to quack in disapproval and try lure him elsewhere. Look, what was that under the shade of that big tree! Very urgent in their quacking, since they knew how excitable the sweet little boy could be.  His narwhal fox on the other paw did not feel like being a voice of reason and just hung back, doing fox things as a fox does. W E T

Vanta was getting the hang of being guided, her mother's companions having become a permanent fixture above her head and around her neck. She still preferred to explore during the night hours, but on this day had suffered an itch of wanderlust that could not wait for the moon to rise. She headed east from their gnarled woods, intent on simply wandering it until the sun began to set, ignorant to her toucan's caws that very soon she'd be reaching the border. Trees were trees, right? He must be mistaken, she was still in the woods. The snake around her neck did it's duty in leading her pawsteps without judgement, squeezing the sides of her neck to beckon her to step to the side to dodge a trunk, or pulling downwards to encourage her to duck below a low hanging branch. All in all, the pup was slowly learning past her disability.

A new scent reached her nose and Vanta's closed eyes squinted tighter, as if she might be able to place it if she had more darkness behind her lids. Her nose worked little sniffs into the wind, ears flickering to seek out any distinctive sound. When she was unable to place the individual, the pup gave up and called out. "Is someone there?"

"Speech"

Easily distracted, Ajax was quick to bound in another direction, swiftly leaving his companions behind in all the excitement. He wasn't even sure what his ducks had tried to point out to him, only that there was so much to see and do and-oh, who was that? He skidded to a stop, kicking up dirt and leaving drag marks in the mud as he looked ahead, head tilting to the side with ears standing to attention. Before he could even think to say something-no doubt an overly friendly greeting that was probably a little too informal and presumptuous- the strange girl spoke. Huh? There was a fair amount of space between them, but nothing was standing in the way or blocking her view. Then how come her eyes didn't seem to track his movements as his oversized tail swished behind him, an outlet for too much energy. Her eyes were real pretty though, even in the shade of the trees they had a sort of...tropical water gleam to them. Like sunken treasure barely hidden in the sand of her coat, waiting to be snatched up. He wanted them, he decided, maybe not much her eyes as they were hers and all and taking like that wasn't very nice but...the colour maybe? Or a pretty stone like it. "Yup!" He finally confirmed, wondering if the red of his coat blended into the trees real well. The colour was sort of similar, he supposed? "I'm right here." He kneaded into the mud with his white tipped paws and again was a little confused as to why she didn't seem to notice. Or rather see. "I'm Ajax. I like your blue."

OOC: Ajax you dumbass her eyes are closed!

A voice responded in turn, one as unfamiliar as the scent that came with it. Vanta screwed up her nose in annoyance, wishing she could encourage the sun to set on her whims and preferences so she might see the boy who spoke. Could he be dangerous? Maybe, but Vanta was too young yet to feel fear in the face of a stranger. Especially one whose voice sounded so young, not unlike her own brothers. "Do you have parents with you?" She asked softly as she clued into his age and what that might mean. One wolf nearby was fine, but if there were more... Vanta shuddered at the memory of the scary raid that had forced her to hole up in a crowded den.

He introduced himself by name and complimented her 'blue' and Vanta couldn't help her shy smile from tugging at the corner of her lips. It was not often she was complimented, more often she was merely beaten down for her disability and told what she wasn't rather than what she was. "I'm Vanta. I like your..." The puppy understood basic courtesy; where a compliment was received you should give one back in turn. However Vanta's eyes were still squeezed shut and the sun above ensured they'd stay that way. "Can you describe yourself? Maybe then I can compliment you back. My eyes don't work very good in the light."

"Vanta"